The perfect eyeliner cat eye is hard to master, and so is preventing dark eye circles. With age and lack of sleep, dark circles are inevitable for many of us. For many, they are hereditary as well and can be treated over time with dermatologist visits, vitamins, and a consistent skincare routine.
There might be one eyeliner habit that contributes to them, however, that you can stop now to prevent adding to the darkness under your eyes any further. We spoke to professional makeup artists all about eyeliner mistakes related to eye bags, and how to fix them.
What can really give you darker under-eyes, experts explain, is removing eyeliner incorrectly, and we’ll get to that. Firstly, we asked experts for common eyeliner mistakes that can make your dark eye circles even more pronounced.
Common Eyeliner Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Whether you want a sharp wing, 90s smudged waterline or just a subtle pop to your peepers, eyeliner is a powerful tool in countless aesthetics and styles. From ancient royalty to modern rock stars, a kohl-rimmed eye can make an epic statement, that is, if it’s done correctly.
Too much of a good thing is sometimes a bad thing. Hair and makeup artist Andrea Claire explains that one common eyeliner mistake people with dark circles make is adding more darkness, especially with lining the lower lash line.
“If you love your liner and have dark circles, keep your liner to the top lash line,” says Claire. A little trick she uses to counter darkness is to apply a nude liner to the lower waterline, which she says helps to “open and brighten the eyes.”
Makeup artist Gargi Patel explains that preparing your eye area first and foremost is key for fierce eyeliner, and to cover up your under-eyes successfully. “The goal is to always keep the eyeliner in places you want it to stay,” says Patel. “Using a good primer suitable for the eye area will help to keep not only your eyeliner in place, but also your eyeshadow.”
She adds that a primer should also hydrate the eye area so liquid eyeliners will not dry out.
If you’re worried about eyeliner-related errors causing dark circles rather than emphasizing them, read on for a crucial makeup step you might be doing incorrectly.
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How Incorrect Removal Affects Dark Circles
The only thing that can really cause dark circles when it comes to eyeliner or makeup in general, beauty expert David Gray says, is the removal process. Gray notes that it’s important to use a “really good eye makeup remover,” seeing as the eyes and the skin around them is so sensitive.
“What defines a proper remover is that it's quite effortless and doesn't require much rubbing,” says Gray. This, he says, is important because rubbing the skin can cause capillary damage and inflammation, “worsening your dark circles as a result.”
When we take off our eyeliner, many people will rub with makeup wipes which can lead to broken capillaries as well as inflammation in the under-eye area, as beauty expert Sanem Ahearn points out.
“By switching to some kind of cleanser or balm with a water and oil-based formula, those products will glide right off and prevent any unnecessary rubbing which worsens under-eye circles,” says Ahearn.
Dermatologists and beauty experts often recommend forgoing makeup wipes and switching to cleansers for makeup removal, as the former is linked to worsening wrinkles and under-eye bags.
Overall, no matter what look you’re going for with your daily eyeliner, it’s important to keep in mind these specific tips if you’re attempting to conceal your under-eyes.
Most crucially, taking off your eyeliner matters in decreasing the appearance of dark eye circles, and what you take it off with. Your personal dermatologist can provide more information, as frequent visits are an important part of creating a skincare routine that works for you!
